Laundry detergent ingredient translation list

[sudsmaster]

Here's a little list of typical laundry detergents and a translation. It's not meant to be an exhaustive list, but might be helpful as a starting point:

"Surfactants":

These could be anionic (negatively charged) or non-ionic (neutral) synthetic surfactants, in the form sodium-hydrocarbon-sulfate (or sulphonate). SDS or Sodium dodecyl sulfate is a very common high sudsing synthetic surfactant. (Tidbit: most fabric softeners are simply long-chain cationic (positively charged) surfactants)).

"Water Softener":

In a powder, this is typically washing soda, soda ash, or sodium carbonate (all the same thing). It's very alkaline and greatly aids "detergency", but it's main drawback, besides being harsh, is that it also forms a precipitate with hard water minerals in the water or in the soiled fabric. A much better water softener is complex phosphate (STPP) which doesn't form a precipitate. Both these types of softeners aid detergency by "breaking" soil from the fabric, and also by saponizing oils and greases (turns them into soap) by dint of their alkalinity. Another water softener that is popular in european detergents is zeolite, which is basically alumino-silicate. This softener traps hard water minerals within its microscopic labrinths, but it does nothing to increase alkalinity or break soil from fabrics.

Washer protection agent: Typically this is sodium silicate (any number of slightly different forms). It helps keep the precipitates formed by sodium carbonate from depositing and forming a harmful, hard crust on washer parts.

Anti-soil redeposition agent: Phosphate-free detergents typically use caroboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to help keep soil and soil-softener precipitates in suspension so they won't be redeposited back onto the laundry, but rather be rinsed away. My understanding is that this substance works ok, but not as well as avoiding the precipitate in the first place (as could be done by using complex phosphates).

Optical brighteners: Basically this is a dye that is invisible, but it will absorb near ultraviolet light rays and re-emit white light. So it makes whites look whiter. Its main drawback is that it can give the appearance of fading to dark colors. And being a synthetic dye, it is probably toxic.

Enzymes: Typically these are encapsulated (for less allergic reaction to detergent dust) enzymes that digest oils ("lipase") and proteins ("protease"). These in turn help to break down oil and protein based stains from fabrics. It is unclear to me if the proteases are safe, or not, for wools, silks, and leathers. When in doubt, use an enzyme-free mild detergent or hand soap for these fabrics. Also present may be cellulases, which can chew away at tiny fibrils of cotton, thereby reducing pilling on cotton and cotton blend fabrics. It is unclear to me if cellulases also shorten the life of cotton fabrics - my assumption is that the cellulases act primarily on frayed ends, not on the main fibers. Perhaps wishful thinking.

 

[bajaespuma]

LOVING THIS

Can you do the same thing for us on Dishwasher detergents? I've taken to using them in my HE machine because they still contain phosphates and don't contain sudsing agents. Are there components in DW detergents that would be harmful to textiles?The companies I've called say that there are but they won't be specific because they maintain that the formulae are proprietary and don't want to spill. I still say they just want us to shell out the big bucks for what used to be DASH and ALL and SAlVO, all pumped up with air and repackaged as "HE" or, low-efficiency detergents

 

[sudsmaster]

Well... I'm not sure exactly what's in DW detergents.

I believe the older chlorinated DW detergents used chlorinated TSP as the carrier for the chlorine bleach. This migh tnot be good for clothes in high concentrations, and probably this type of detergent should be added after the washer fills and has agitated for a few minutes (similar to how liquid chlorine bleach is generally added).

The newer enzyme DW detergents most likely contain more aggressive enzymes than laundry detergents. However... I don't know if these would damage cellulose (the primary constituent of cotton). I don't think they'd damage synthetic fabrics at all. They might damage wool, silk, leather. The best I can suggest is to try some on some expendable fabrics and see what happens.

In general, DW detergents, in order of amount, contain sodium carbonate (washing soda), complex phosphate (probably STPP), enzymes. Maybe some sodium silicate to fight etching and protect dishwasher parts. Perhaps some very low sudsing surfactant, but maybe none. Maybe some fragrance too. Other than the enzymes, nothing too mysterious, in my humble opinion.

I have considered trying my own homemade DW detergent. I have most of the usual ingredients - washing soda, phosphates, sodium silicate. I'm curious as to whether TSP would work - it is a good hard surface cleaner, it just creates a precipitate, while STPP doesn't. It might work just as well as STPP in a DW. And it's a lot easier to find (most hardware stores carry it). The enzymes would be difficult to find, though.

 

[foraloysius]

Enzymes: Besides Protease and Cellulase you often find Amylase and Lipase in European detergents. Persil Sensitive (Henkel) lacks Protease though, which could mean (speculating here) that they have found out that Protease is the main culprit for allergies.

 

[foraloysius]

Oy, oversaw that you already mentioned lipase.

 

[nickuk]

protease

certainly is the main causer of allergies in terms of enzymes, the skin (epidermis) is protein and protease tries to eat it. At least I think that's the argument. Most detergent allergies are actually fragrance related assuming people rinse the biological out properly.

 

[sudsmaster]

In general, in order for the immune system to mount an allergic response to a foreign substance, that substance must be a protein. Since all enzymes are proteins, any enzyme could, potentially, trigger an allergic response.

An allergic response should be differentiated from a sensitivity response. Various non-protein substances can cause sensitivity reactions. A classic example is nickel - prolonged skin contact with this metal can elicit a sensitivity response - such as itching, reddening, etc of the affected area. This is not the same as an allergic response, since it does not involve the body's production of antibodies to an antigen. Non-protein substances that elicit such reactions are directly toxic to tissues. Reddening and swelling that may ensure is most likely due to damaged cells/tissue.

It's my understanding that most fragrances are not protein based, therefore, an allergic response would not be the correct terminology for sensitivity to fragrances. Olfactory inputs are very powerful influences upon various brain centers, including memory, and it's possible that there is a large psychological component to fragrance aversions.

Laundry manufacturers have minimized adverse reactions to laundry enzymes by encapsulating the enzymes prior to addition to the detergent product. This helps to minimize the amount of enzyme in detergent dust (the encapsulated enzymes are larger particles that don't become airborne as easily) while still allowing the enzymes to dissolve in the wash water.

Papayas contain a proteolytic enzyme called papain. It can be used as a meat tenderizer. However I've not heard of people developing allergy to papayas because of this enzyme... although I suppose it's possible.

My hunch is that the proteolytic enzyme in most detergents is designed to attack common protein-containing stains on fabrics. This would include such substances as blood, meat drippings, milk, etc. Since skin and hair are not common stains on fabrics, I tend to doubt that laundry enzymes are chosen specifically to attack these proteins, although there may be general proteolytic activity involved.

 

[maytagbear]

Papain is the main ingredient

in Adolph's Meat Tenderiser, and in the old days, was used as a paste with water to break down blood stains before washing.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[bajaespuma]

Back to DW detergent question

It has been suggested to me that most Dishwasher Detergents have some sort of abrasive component included to help physically "scrape" soil off of ceramic, glass and metal in the diswasher spray. If so, would it have to be listed in the ingredients?

 

[mrcleanjeans]

No they don't have an abrasive action,the heat,spray action,and detergent action,now usually with enzymes do the work in a DW.

 

[sudsmaster]

Perhaps the presence of sodium silicate on the ingredients list of some dishwashing powders (and all of them most likely have it anyway) leads some to think that an abrasive form of silica or sand is used. This is not the case; the sodium silicate is very soluble in water and is no more abrasive, than, any other salt solution.